The present invention relates to an observation device for lateral areas of a motor vehicle, and more particularly to an observation device which has an outside rearview mirror inserted into a protective housing which is connected with the vehicle body by means of a mirror base equipped with a covering, and the outside rearview mirror comprises a shooting device consisting of a camera on the driver side facing away from the driver, which shooting device interacts with an indicating device in the inside rearview mirror of the vehicle.
An observation device for lateral areas of motor vehicles is known from DE 100 43 099 A1, in which a camera is connected with a monitor in the interior of the vehicle on which the image taken by the camera is displayed. Furthermore, DE 102 37 988 A1 shows a camera arranged directly in the housing accommodating the rearview mirror. With this camera, a lateral vehicle area is detected in an observing manner and is supplied to a display screen.